Promises
by Gothic-Princess-77
Summary: Kind of a sequel to Just a Storm. Warning-character death


Ok, this is a kind of sequel to Just A Storm. If you haven't read it, that's fine, but you might want to; this will make more sense. Just so everyone knows, I prefer Mudflap! I just thought it would be more dramatic this way. I know it seems Mudflap doesn't get any attention in my stories, but in my crossover, I pour on plenty of attention! So, that's just so you know... This will be split into sections centered around Skids. Disclaimer- I do not own Transformers. Rated T just to be safe.

* * *

Promises

Section 1- Morte

They were all four caught by surprise. Outclassed and outnumbered, things looked grim for Skids, Mudflap, Ratchet, and Ironhide. The Decepticons had set up this trap so they could destroy the two most valuable Autobots and the two youngest in one fell swoop. Skids was distracted, and didn't see the 'cons behind him, but someone else did. "Skids!" Someone shoved the twin and he went flying through the air and an explosion crashed into the 'bot who had just saved him. A stream of agonizing pain hit Skids through the twin-bond before being cut off forcefully. Everything blurred around Skids as he rushed to his fallen brother and grabbed his hand.

"C'mon, bro, stay with me. Ratchet will help you," Skids said. "No...I ain't...gonna make it..." Mudflap gasped out. "Mudflap, you have to! You, you, you promised!" Skids cried. "I...never promised, Skids. You promised me. I...had a feeling...this would...happen," Mudflap replied. Already his optics were dimming, sending a wave of panic through Skids. Refusing to let Mudflap go, Skids sent his brother a blast of strength through the twin-bond. "Ratchet!" Skids screamed desperatly. Mudflap was still fading even after Skids had sent him some strength. The CMO hurried over while reinforcements battled the Decepticons. When had reinforcements gotten here? Skids didn't know, and he didn't care; Mudflap was more important.

"What is it? What's wrong with you?" Ratchet demanded. "Not me! Mudflap! Help him!" Skids shrieked desperatly. Ratchet swore when Skids stepped aside, revealing his broken twin; the CMO set to work. Skids payed no attention as the Decepticons were chased off and everyone gathered around. Ratchet finally stopped working and pulled back, lowering his helm and refusing to meet Skids' optics. "I'm not a miracle worker; I-I can't save him," Ratchet muttered. Skids was frozen as Ratchet continued to speak.

"I can't even give him something for the pain. I'm sorry Skids. I'm so, so sorry. Do you want a minute alone with him?" Skids nodded and Ratchet ushered everyone away, leaving the twins alone. "Skids, I'm sorry," Mudflap muttered weakly. "Why'd you do it?" Skids asked, energon tears in his optics. "I...couldn't let...you deactivate...like...in the nightmare. Please, don't be...too upset...'kay?"

"No! No, I can't do it; I can't live without you, you're my twin! I-I'll follow you!" Skids sobbed hysterically. "Hey! We promised each other...when we joined the Autobots..if one deactivated, the other...wouldn't follow. Don't...break the promise...Skids," Mudflap gasped. Skids looked away and said nothing. "Skids...promise me...you'll...keep the promises we made to...each...other...when we joined the...Autobots. Please, promise me," Mudflap begged. Skids saw the desperate look in Mudflap's optics and he knew he couldn't deny Mudflap's last wish. "Okay Mudflap, I promise," Skids whispered, pulling his brother into his arms and holding him. Mudflap grinned weakly up at his twin.

"Thanks, Skids...I...love you, bro." "I love you, too, Mudflap." Normally, the brothers never expressed their feelings for each other, but this was different, considering they wouldn't be seeing each other for a long time. Skids clung to Mudflap tightly, giving his twin some comfort through touch in his final moments. And Mudflap deactivated right there, in his older brother's arms, the twin-bond harshly cut off, and Skids cried uncontrollably at the spark-ache he felt at losing his other half.

* * *

Section 2- Uncertainty

"I'm worried about Skids," Ratchet said several human months later. Optimus looked up from his work. "As am I, Ratchet." "I don't see what the problem is. He's a great warrior now, and he hasn't caused trouble in several earth months," Ironhide muttered. He stood off to the side in Optimus's office, arms crossed and an angry glare on his face plates. Ratchet turned on the weapons specialist, furious. "Are you aware what it's like for him? He's lost his other half! I've seen that happen to mechs far stronger than him and leave them as a shell of their former selves! Do you know Skids hasn't laughed or smiled since Mudflap deactivated?" Ratchet snarled. Ironhide was slightly taken aback. "...It's really that bad?" Ironhide asked. "Yes! Honestly, I'm surprised Skids didn't deactivate right after Mudflap! Something Mudflap said to Skids in his final moments must have convinced him to keep living." "What can we do to help Skids?" Optimus demanded. Ratchet vented a sigh. "Nothing. We just have to watch and wait. The only thing that can heal a broken spark like his is Mudflap, and that healing won't be coming for a long time."

* * *

Section 3- Contemplation and Grief

Anger. It was pulsing through him, swirling around, clouding his judgment and making everything hazy. Then came the depression came over him, pulling him down, down, down, until there was not a drop of happiness left in his life, making him feel like he was drowning. Then the anger came back again.

He wasn't angry at Mudflap. No, he could never be angry at Mudflap, especially now that he was gone forever. He was angry at himself. How could he have been such a horrible older brother? It was his responsibility to protect Mudflap, and he'd **failed! **Sometimes he hated himself. And he couldn't help but think that maybe Mudflap might hate him, too. He'd never meant for his brother to get hurt, or die. Now he was regretting the way he'd acted towards his brother.

Skids finally returned to his room after a long combat practice. Just standing in the room brought back memories and made him sad. Everywhere he looked, he was reminded of Mudflap. The spare berth that had once been his brother's, the posters on the walls Mudflap had insisted they put up (Skids didn't have the spark to take them down now) and the space in the middle of the room where they used to wrestle.

Skids wanted to cry as he continued to look around. Remembering Mudflap hurt so much. Now, he didn't want to forget his twin or anything, but today it was too much. His emotions were building up, and he finally broke down sobbing, collapsing to the floor in the middle of the room. "Mudflap, I'm so sorry! Please forgive me!" Skids sobbed into the quiet room.

Of course, nothing happened.

"Why? Why did you take my baby brother from me?! It should have been me! It should have! I want my brother back! Give him back to me! I'll even switch places with him! But I want him back!" Skids screamed. There was no response, but he hadn't really expected one anyway. Skids just continued to sob as that hollow feeling in his spark where Mudflap should have been just kept echoing back at him, never to be filled again.

He would never be whole again.

* * *

Section 4- Arrivals

Being on patrol, in human terms, sucked. Scouting ahead to find the newest arrivals to the earth team was just as bad, if not worse. Most of the time, that usually meant he didn't get to kick any Decepticon aft as a form of revenge for taking away his well-liked brother. Eveyone had liked Mudflap more than him. Mudflap was friendly, Mudflap was better at fighting, Mudflap had had that innocent air about him that tricked others in ways Skids couldn't, which made them a formidable duo.

"Hey, Skids, are you even paying attention?" Sideswipe's voice snapped Skids out of his thoughts. Skids, who was now brooding, simply chose to not reply. "Sides, leave him alone. He's been through a lot," Ratchet said when it seemed like Sideswipe was going to start pestering Skids again. "Well, I know what it's like. I mean, how long have I been seperated from Sunny? And I don't even have any idea where he might be. But Skids has no excuse-"

"No, Sideswipe! You don't know what it's like! Your twin isn't dead, now is he? You would know if he was dead, wouldn't you? Well Mudflap is gone and I'm still here and you have **no **idea what it's like!" Skids snapped suddenly, and then drove a little faster so he would be ahead of the other two. He didn't want to deal with this. Those two would never know anything about his pain! He'd seen the way Sideswipe and Ratchet acted around each other. They had somebot they cared about, and then Sunstreaker was out there somewhere, and would add to their happy little group when he arrived on earth. Skids had **no one! **He was utterly and completely alone.

And he hated it.

All his life, Skids had had someone right there beside him. Never far away, never completely gone, always in his head, that was his relationship with Mudflap. Now he was gone and Skids didn't know what to do with himself.

Pranks were worthless when there was no one there to laugh with, it wasn't near as fun to get into fights, and he just didn't have a reason to smile or laugh anymore. He knew he'd promised Mudflap he would live without him, but it was so **difficult! **Skids really wanted to break his promise and offline himself, but it had been Mudflap's last wish and he couldn't go back on his word. That would disgrace his brother's name. So he threw himself into battle, pulling stupid stunts worthy of Sideswipe and his brother in the hopes he would be deactivated in battle.

But after every battle, he woke up on a berth in the medbay with a very pissed-off Ratchet looming over him with a wrench. Life just wasn't fair!

"Earth to Skids! Come back, Skids!" Again, Sideswipe jolted Skids out of his thoughts. With a wordless snarl of rage, Skids, well, skidded to a stop and transformed when he realized they had arrived. A large Autobot climbed out of the one visible crash sight and instantly went to Ratchet and Sideswipe. With a cry of happiness, Sideswipe flung himself at the new arrival and hugged him, and Skids turned away as he realized this must be Sunstreaker.

It killed him to see a happy moment, so he simply wouldn't look. Then something occured to him. There had been two energy signals inbound for earth. Had the other gone off-course? Scanning the nearby area, he detected a faint spark signature. The other three were so wrapped up in each other, he doubted they noticed it, so he went to investigate by himself.

Upon finding the other pod, he looked in to see a badly damaged Cybertronian. Skids pulled him out as he said, "Get up. What's your name, soldier?" Panting, the other replied, "Autobot Bluestreak."

Skids nodded. "Alright Bluestreak. Can you tell me where you're hurt?" But Bluestreak was shaking his head. "Forget about me. I'm a lost cause. I lost my bondmate, and then I was exposed to Dark Energon. But you got to promise me something. You have to take care of her. My youngling. Her Carrier wanted to name her Lithium, so I named her Lithium. Take care of Lithium," he begged, although it was mostly rambling.

Skids only noticed that Bluestreak had been cradling a bundle close to him when the bundle was shoved at him. Skids froze and looked down at the small bundle. Large blue optics looked up at him. The little femme had snow white plating, but was built more like Bluestreak, although she had some qualities that Skids didn't recognize to be like Bluestreak. A tiny hand reached out and grasped his own and the sparkling clicked at him. Skids was bewildered and he glanced back at Bluestreak, who was smiling slightly, despite his obvious exhaustion.

"She's...imprinted on you...please take care of Lithium, please. Keep her as far from the war as possible," he said faintly, and then collapsed, his frame already greying.

* * *

Section 5- After the War, Understanding

The war had been lasted for the longest time, only coming to a close with the deaths of the leaders of the Decepticons and the remaining 'cons surrendered. The sight of a new sparkling had inspired the othe Autobots, and they had stepped up their game, fighting so that Lithium would live in a world without war. Some were finding it difficult to adjust to the lack of violence.

So, while some of the more adaptable Autobots looked after Lithium, Skids decided to go for a drive. He was confused. He had thought he would be happy when the war ended, but he wasn't. Now, what did he have in life? After Mudflap's death, all Skids had ever thought about was destroying the Decepticons and getting revenge. And now, the Decepticons were defeated, but he was still left feeling like something had been left undone.

Then it occured to him. Despite the end of the war, there were some Decepticons out there who refused to live peacefully. One such Decepticon was Hightower, Mudflap's killer. For a while, Skids contemplated taking off to search for the killer and avenging Mudflap. But something made him pause. Lithium.

Despite everything, the femme had grown on him, and he found himself caring for the femme. And she seemed to have grown attached to him as well. Also, Bluestreak had made it his responsibilty to take care of the youngling. Slag! But he had to avenge Mudflap! Except...Mudflap was gone, and there was nothing he could do for Mudflap, but he could care for the living, which was Lithium. Resigned, Skids turned back to base. Maybe he couldn't avenge Mudflap now, but as soon as Lithium no longer needed him, he would hunt down Hightower and kill him.

* * *

Section 6- Revenge

"You killed my brother." Terror filled Hightower as he glanced at the Autobot soldier who had hunted him down. For many earth years, he had fled the Autobot. Now, there was nowhere to go. He had been chased across the galaxy, until they finally ended back up where this chase had started.

Earth.

Yes, Hightower knew he had done many horrible things in his very long existence, but he didn't feel ready for deactivation. Besides, this Autobot was taking it too far.

Skids himself had grown wiser. He knew that everyone said vengence was not the answer, revenge would never give him closure, but he didn't care. He chose not to listen. This wasn't for him; this was for Mudflap. And everyone else. But mostly Mudflap.

"Please, spare me," Hightower begged. Red optics met blue. And then Hightower knew, there would be no mercy from this Autobot. His optics were cold and emotionless.

"Did you spare Mudflap? No. Did you spare all those other defensless 'bots? No. You deserve nothing except death. You are a monster, and I am doing the world a favor by killing you."

Skids pointed his gun at the Decepticon and smiled coldly. Then the deed was done and there was no going back.

* * *

Section 7- Death

He hated himself. Ever since that day he had taken Hightower's life, Skids had never forgiven himself. Despite what he thought, he had not felt better. Ratchet had been right. Forgiveness would have been the better route. It was too late now. He had killed a 'con who had begged for forgiveness, begged to be spared, but Skids had ignored him. He couldn't forgive himself, and he hated himself.

Lithium had been very supportive, but she could only do so much to help. However, Skids was attached to her, and he came back to earth to die after fleeing the planet long ago. The planet had too many painful memories for him to stay there, but he'd wanted to see Lithium before he died. The femme was on her way to see him, but he wasn't sure if he would live long enough to see her.

He was in so much pain as he lay there dying. He clung to life, but then there was something. He hadn't felt that presence in a long time. He was so close now, so close to joining Mudflap. And he didn't honestly want to hold on to life any more.

So he didn't. He just let go of his will power, and slipped away from the real world.

When he onlined his optics, there was his brother, looking just the same as he had the day before he died. Mudflap was smiling at him. Skids smiled back and said, "Hey Mudflap. Aren't you proud of me? I kept my promise."

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END.

Meh...I'm not sure about that ending. What do you reviewers think? Review please!


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